Convert Ton of Refrigeration to Boiler Horsepower
Convert Ton of Refrigeration (RT) to Boiler Horsepower (BHP) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
BHP = RT × 0.358476475
About Ton of Refrigeration
One ton of refrigeration (RT) = 12,000 BTU/h ≈ 3,517 W - the cooling rate to freeze 1 short ton (2,000 lb) of water in 24 hours. This follows from water's latent heat: 144 BTU/lb × 2,000 lb ÷ 24 h = 12,000 BTU/h. US residential AC is 1.5-5 tons; a large commercial building 500-2,000 tons; a hyperscale data centre 50,000-100,000 tons. The RT is deeply embedded in North American HVAC catalogs, load calculation software, and contractor pricing. 1 RT = 3,516.85 W.
About Boiler Horsepower
One boiler horsepower (BHP) ≈ 9,810 W = 33,475 BTU/h - the power to evaporate 34.5 lb of water per hour at 212°F, standardised by ASME for rating steam boilers. A small office building needs 10-50 BHP; a hospital or large plant 200-2,000 BHP. Critically, 1 BHP is ~13.1× larger than 1 mechanical horsepower (746 W) - a dangerous confusion when specifying heating equipment. 1 BHP ≈ 9,810.6 W.
Quick Reference Table
| Ton of Refrigeration (RT) | Boiler Horsepower (BHP) |
|---|---|
| 1 RT | 0.358476 BHP |
| 2 RT | 0.716953 BHP |
| 5 RT | 1.79238 BHP |
| 10 RT | 3.58476 BHP |
| 25 RT | 8.96191 BHP |
| 50 RT | 17.9238 BHP |
| 100 RT | 35.8476 BHP |